President: Bill on land handover rejected as goals unachievable

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu states he decided against ratifying MDP’s bill proposing amendments to the Land Act which would mandate the government to expedite the handover of land plots within three months as he believes it is not possible to achieve the goals targeted in the bill at the moment. 

The bill was submitted by MDP’s South Galolhu MP Meekail Naseem during the 19^th parliamentary assembly. The MDP-dominated parliamentary assembly passed the bill on April 29^th, shortly before their electoral term concluded.

President Muizzu rejected the bill and sent it back to the parliament on May 16^th.

Debate on the bill resumed at the parliament on Tuesday following which main ruling PNC – which holds the supermajority in the incumbent 20^th parliamentary assembly – rejected the bill.

The President explained his reasons for rejecting the bill in a letter sent to Parliament which underscored that the government was presently working on formulating a new legal framework to govern land. In this trajectory, he emphasized that there was no point in ratifying an amendment to an Act which is due to be dissolved anyway.

He further expressed his belief that the goals targeted in the bill cannot be achieved by ratifying it at the moment.

In his letter, President Muizzu also underscored that registries of all land plots issued by the former administration have not been handed over to the recipients so far, as they are located in areas that have yet to be reclaimed.

The current Land Act mandates recipients of land to commence residing at the plot within a stipulated period of time from the date of handover of the plot. If the recipient fails to do so, the government can repossess the land.

Referencing the provision, President Muizzu described handing over a plot where it is uninhabitable as an obstruction of the rights of the land recipient.

MP Meekail’s amendment would mandate the government to hand over land to recipients within three months from the date the permanent list of recipients is publicized. President Muizzzu pointed out that the result cannot be achieved even if the bill is ratified in consideration of the progress made under the reclamation projects. In this regard, he added that three months was inadequate to reclaim pending areas.

He also noted that the Housing Ministry will be subject to various difficulties if the bill is ratified.